Trust your Orthodontist to tell you when you are finished!

Trust your Orthodontist to tell you when treatment is complete.

 

I remember when I first joined a practice with a 40 year veteran of Orthodontics I was amazed how questions of finishing by parents and patients used to trigger his elevated blood pressure and cause a snappy response of “Ask your teeth when they are done!” or he might just tell them “Soon!”.  I remember thinking how short and even rude sometimes.  However sixteen years later I see that his frustration was a sign of how much he cared for his patients.

On any given day I am asked at least 10 times when braces are going to come off.  I hear it in many ways; sometimes a simple and polite “how much longer do you think we have?” to “I’ve been wearing these for nearly two years!” all the way to parents coming back and demanding we finish within 60 days.  I even get requests by general dentists and hygienists to simply remove all appliances because little Johnny is tired of wearing braces (this probably offends an Orthodontist more than anything).  

I think people have gotten used to a predictable world with deadlines and immoveable schedules and they think orthodontics is akin to getting a filling or having some single procedure at the dermatologist office.  Patients have been led by advertising and slick salesmanship to believe orthodontics can be measured out and defined in months with a specific number of aligner trays or a hard 18mo or 24mo estimate.  Patients and parents must understand one simple truth: if a doctor is removing braces or stopping aligner treatments exactly on time, every time, then he or she is treating you as a commodity and not a patient.  Orthodontists only extend treatment on patients because they care about those patients and their outcomes.  Leaving patients in treatment the full estimated time or extending time in treatment only costs the Orthodontist in money, time and good will.  There is no benefit to the Orthodontist personally in trying to talk a patient or parent into leaving braces on a little longer; there is more staff expense, more utilities, fewer new patients that could be seen instead; above all, they know the patient is not happy.  Of course we also have to deal with unreasonable online “reviews”.

 

“Patients and parents must understand one simple truth: if a doctor is removing braces or stopping aligner treatments exactly on time, every time, then he or she is treating you as a commodity and not a patient.”

 

Patients need to be educated that Orthodontics is a very complicated process.  A Board Certified, trained specialist in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics must consider biology of the bone and supporting tissues, physiology of the immune system and osteoclastic behavior; he/she considers the release of bone proteins, cytokins and painful prostaglandins as well as anatomy of individual patients concerning sinus walls and density of bone. 

 

The Orthodontist is trained beyond all other specialties on growth and development and function of the joints and he/she must understand physics including moments and force ratios. 

As an Orthodontist, we also have to understand the different properties of specific alloys used in wires such as Stainless Steel, Titanium, Copper Nickel Titanium and Elgiloy among other more proprietary blends.

 

The Orthodontist is also an artist who must understand esthetics and facial proportions (and how the dentition can support or reduce facial features).  In short, there is almost no way to predict timing of treatment to a single month (or day!).  And although there is a time to remove appliances and call it a day, patients need to trust their Orthodontists to determine when that time arrives.

 

 

 

So in this world of fake news, false advertising and slick salesmanship, there is still one person that you can trust explicitly with your family’s orthodontic treatment: it’s the Orthodontist who is ultimately responsible for the outcome and who has planned the treatment.  Find an Orthodontist you trust and stick with them until the end! It is fine to inquire occasionally on progress but be careful not to push them into removing appliances/braces before the job (that you are paying for) is complete.

If you have questions or comments concerning this or any orthodontic question, please feel free to make a complimentary new-patient appointment at either my Steiner Ranch location or my North-central Austin location on West 35^th street and MoPac.

 

Dr. James R. Waters is a 1996 graduate from UTHSC Dental School in San Antonio, 1997 graduate of Advanced Dentistry from the UNMC in Nebraska and the 2001 Valedictorian graduate from the prestigious Saint Louis University Orthodontic Program receiving the J.P. Marshall award for clinical excellence in 2001.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Doctorate in Dental Surgery, a post-doctorate certificate in Advanced Dentistry, post-doctorate Degree in Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics and a Master of Science Degree in Orthodontics and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics.  Dr. Waters and his wife of 20 years live in Austin, TX with their 4 children where he has a thriving, multi-faceted Specialist practice with locations in Steiner Ranch and North-Central Austin.  You can learn more about Dr. Waters at BracesAustin.com.